Car-coupling



' 4 2 Sheets-Seet 1.v G.. S. GILDERSLEEVE.

AR GOUPLINGr.v

No.. 352,239. Patented Nov'. 9, 1886.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

G. s. GILDERSLEEVE..

GAB. GOUPLING-- No. 852,239. Patented Nov. 9,1886.

xii

Il w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cAR- CoUPL|NG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,239, dated November9,1886.

Application sled March 26, 18st.

'To @ZZ whom it' may concern:

' Beit known that I, GILBERT SNowDEN (III.- DERSLEEVE, a citizen of theUnited States, re` siding at Gratton,in the county of Tazewell and Stateof Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inlGar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, andexact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to car-couplings, the

lobject being to provide a device of this character which shall besimple in its construction, effective in its operation,strong, and du'-rable, one which will not be likely to get out of order, and one whichwill, when subjected to any great degree of strain, as when a car leavesthe track, automatically disengage itself'.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the improvedconstruction and combi` nations of parts hereinafter fully described,and pointed out inthe claims. y

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a car-couplingembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig.3 is a section on the line :c w of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a section outhe line x x of Fig.`l. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modification.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are represented by the sameletters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the draw-head, which has locatedat its forward end a bumper, B, having the usual fiaring mouth, e, thedraw-head having the usual passage, b.

Within the draw-head A, a short distance `from the forwardend thereof,is journaled a cross piece or beam, C, which has gudgeons c, bearing inopenings d in the sides of the draw-head. As shown .in Fig. 4, the beamC has a horizontal opening, e.

D represents the coupling or draw bars,

which have the hook-shaped forward ends,

withrecesses on their inner sides to form a coupling-socket to receivethe rounded head of a coupling-link, F, said coupling-link being formedwith a circumferential shoulder in rear Serial No. 196,696. (No model.)

of the head, against which the hooked ends of f of about half thethickness of the couplingcesses, g, on the opposite bar.

G represents a bolt which passes through the beam G and semicircularextensions f, and thus pivotally secures the coupling-bars together. Theends ofthe horizontal opening e are bounded by shoulders h, which slantin opposite directions from a point midway the front and rear sides ofthe .beam C, and thus serve as stops to limit the opening of thecoupling-bars, and also to limit their closing or coming together attheir forward or hooked ends by the action of a spring, as will be morefully described. l

I-I represents a bow-spring, which consists of two curved leavespivotally connected together and located in recesses on the inner sidesof the coupling-bars, said springs servinggto hold the coupling-bars inengagement with the coupling-link.

I represents a shaft located vertically near the rear end of thedraw-head, and bearing in the top and bottom pieces thereof. The shaft Iis formed with an eccentric, fi, into which are pivotally connected, Vonopposite sides of the same, plates j, which are located at their otherends in recesses k on the inner sides of the coupling-bars. It will thusbe seen that when said shaft is turned it will, through the agency ofthe connecting-plates, draw the rear ends of the coupling-bars togetherand release the coupling-link, the bow-springbeing compressed, soqthatwhen the shaft is released the spring will throw the rear ends of thedrawbars apart and cause their hooked ends to close or nearly close,themovement being limited by the inclined shoulders.

If desired, the vertical shaft .may be provided with a grooved wheel, K,to-which is secured at one end a chain, m, which may be connected at itsother end to a pivoted lever bars, which extensions t corresponding reata point on a line with -the said wheel,where by when the lever is lmovedit will cause the wheel to be partially rotated and the coupling-barsopened at their hooked ends to release the coupling-link.

IOO

If great strain is brought to bear on the coupling-link in either avertical or lateral direction. it will cause one of its sides to clearone of the hooked ends of one of the couplingbars, so that when itassumes a parallel position it will be released.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the shoulder on the head of thecoupling-link is beveled or slanting, and the hooked ends of the rodraw-bars correspond with said beveled or slanting shoulder.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a ear-coupling, the combination, with a draw-head having aswiveled beam located thereinQof draw-bars passing through and pivotedin an opening in said beams, and a spring bearing against the inner endsof the drawbars, as set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, the Combination7 with a draw-head, of a swiveledbeam having an opening, draw-bars passing through and pivoted in saidopening, springs bearing against the inner sides of the draw-bars,avertical shaft having eeoentrios, and plates pivotally connecting theeccentrics and the draw-bars, as Set forth.

3. In a ear-coupling, the oolnbinaiiomvwith a draw-head, of pivoteddraw-bars7 a spring located between them, a shaft having eenentrics,plates Connecting the eecentrics and draw-bars, a grooved wheel on theshaft, a pivoted lever, and Connections between the lever and Wheel7 asset forth.

In testimony whereof I affix niy signature in presence of two witnesses.

GILBERT SNOWDEN GIIIDERSLEEVE. itnessesi II. BANE HARMAN,r

JOHN H. LEWIS.

